


A (Short) Tale of Two Queens

by leonathelion



Category: Six - Marlow/Moss
Genre: Anna-centric, Fluff and Angst, Friendship/Love, kat is babey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:46:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24481477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leonathelion/pseuds/leonathelion
Summary: “Howard will be your new maid of honor” Henry sounded bored. He gave the girl a push towards his wife, sniffing haughtily when she stumbled.Anna liked all her ladies in waiting, Bessie her favourite. So is really wasn't a big surprise when young Katherine wriggled her way in Anna's heart. And it was no surprised when she shattered it.
Relationships: Anne of Cleves & Katherine Howard
Comments: 7
Kudos: 75





	A (Short) Tale of Two Queens

Katherine was a beautiful girl. It was obvious to Anna, the young teenager blinking doe eyes up at her new queen, her posture awkward on her gangly frame.

“Howard will be your new maid of honor” Henry sounded bored. He gave the girl a push towards his wife, sniffing haughtily when she stumbled. 

“Thank you, Henry.” Anna said, fighting the urge to reach out and catch the girl. He lumbered off with a dismissive wave, and Anna was left with Katherine. 

“How old are you Katherine?” Anna asked. 

“Fifteen.” Katherine’s voice was little more than a peep. 

“I am glad to meet you. Why don’t we find some of the other ladies, so you can meet them?”

“Bessie!” Anna called down the hall of the ladies’ quarters. As expected, Bessie’s dark head popped out of her room. She offered her queen a soft smile. 

“How can I help you, my queen?” 

“Henry has decreed Katherine here to be my new maid of honor.” Anna started. Bessie dipped her head towards the young girl. 

“I am Elizabeth Blount, though most call me Bessie. I am the principal lady in waiting for our dear Queen.” Katherine curtsied back, wobbling ever so slightly. 

“Katherine Howard.” 

Bessie showed Katherine to her room, then around the castle. She explained Anna’s preferred morning routine, what to do during meals, and what Anna liked to do during her free time. 

“How literate are you?” Katherine began to shrug before she remembered it was not proper and shook herself back in place. 

“I can read and write.” She began. 

“But it is not perfect.” Bessie hummed. 

“That is fine. What are your talents?” 

“I can sing and dance, and play a few instruments. I know how to ride and care for horses, and I can embroider.” Bessie nodded and knocked on Anna’s door. 

Anna was looking out the window, at her little sitting area. Bessie respectively curtsied, Katherine hastily followed suit. Anna’s heart warmed when the latter wobbled again. 

“Katherine has been shown around the castle, and told of the daily routines. Shall I leave her in your care while I prepare tea?”

“That would be lovely, thank you Bessie.” She nodded and left. 

Katherine tried to not fidget under Anna’s gaze. The queen suddenly chuckled. 

“Sit Katherine, you are not in trouble. I would like to get to know you.” 

“On the settle?” Katherine looked astounded. Anna chuckled. 

“Of course _Maus_ . I would never expect you to stand or sit on the floor.” The German term of endearment slipped out, but was not unusual for the German queen. She regularly referred to Bessie as her _schatzie_ , and a few of her other ladies as _love_ or _dear_. Katherine’s brow creased, but she carefully sat down across from her queen, arranging her dress. 

“ _Maus_?” Katherine asked. 

“German. Just a cute nickname for children.” Katherine still looked a bit confused but nodded. 

“What do you like to do, Katherine?” Anna leaned back in her chair. 

“Um, I like to sing, and dance. I play the lute. I like animals.” Katherine stoutly refused to look her queen in the eyes. Anna hummed. 

“What did you do before coming to the castle?” 

“I lived with my grandmother, she ran a school for girls my age.” Anna gave Bessie a smile and offered her a seat when the lady in waiting returned with a tray of tea and light snacks. Bessie declined. 

“I must oversee the other ladies. Thank you, m’lady.” 

It was clear to Bessie that Anna adored Katherine. Though the lady in waiting never doubted Anna’s often-expressed love for her as well, the queen held dear her maid of honor. Speaking of the girl, she fell into her role of maid of honor well, if not a bit awkwardly. Katherine skirted around most of the other castle staff, and followed Anna around like a duckling. 

Anna ignored most of her consort as she headed to the stables. Katherine was by her side, her smaller legs working hard to keep up. 

“If I may ask m’lady, where are we going?” Her chirpy voice came from somewhere just behind the queen. 

“I feel like going for a horse ride.” Was Anna slightly vague answer. 

A stableboy got two horses ready, and helped Katherine swing up on the back of the smaller one. He knew better than to offer help to Anna, the queen finding it an insult to her riding skills. A few hunting dogs were released, and they were off. 

They stayed quiet, Anna and her stallion guiding Katherine and her mare upstream. The dogs ran a head, barking excitedly. 

Anna tied her horse’s reins to a tree, helping Katherine down before securing her horse. Two of the dogs ran up to the two, nudging under their hands for pats. Katherine giggled, indulging in the dog’s plea. 

Anna sighed, relishing in the bright sun and crisp breeze. She preferred the winter, but spring did have a nice feel to it. Katherine’s giggles and squeals as the dogs licked her arms added to her happiness. And although she had wanted to get out of the castle for a bit, she had ulterior motives. Katherine had recently admitted to why she was sent to her grandmother’s estate, and why she was sent away. Anna wanted to give her a fresh day after their uncomfortable and teary (at least on Katherine’s part) conversation. 

Katherine was devastated when Anna announced that she and Henry were separating, and Anna was leaving London. Bessie was already gone, and the other ladies did not like Katherine very much. She tried very hard to not cry, standing in the middle of Anna’s quarters. She felt like a child as Anna gently wiped her face and pressed a kiss to her forehead. 

“I am sorry, _maus_. But we will see each other again, I promise.” Katherine sniffled and nodded. She hesitated, before throwing her arms around the soon to be ex-queen and hugging her tightly. Anna hugged her back, tucking her cheek on the crown of Katherine’s head. 

Unfortunately, the next time they saw each other was Bessie’s funeral. Not long after, it was Henry and Katherine’s wedding. 

Katherine looked very small and young, sitting next to her new husband at the head of the table. While Anna had not attended the ceremony, the king’s ‘sister’ did go to the reception. 

The sixteen year old Katherine smiled her first real smile as Anna whisked her away on the dance floor, clinging onto her friend as tightly as was proper in front of the other guests. 

“You will be an impressive queen, _liebling_.” Anna murmured. Katherine’s smile was shaky.

“I will have learned from the best, then.” 

“Little charmer.” Anna dipped her low. 

Katherine was impressive, at least what Anna heard. She was kind, made sure her stepchildren were always clothed and attended too, sent Anna gifts on the regular, and refused to speak down to peasants and non-nobles. 

But Katherine’s past caught up to her, and her friendship with one of Henry’s courtier’s came around and stabbed her in the back. Anna attended her execution, not that she really wanted to, but she was hopeful she could have a chance to speak with Katherine, assure her she was still loved and Anna believed she was innocent. 

She didn’t get a chance to. Anna could not tear her eyes from the scene, the executioner ending Katherine’s short life in two movements of an axe. And like that, Katherine Howard was no more. 

Anna refused to let herself get her hopes up. Even though four of six of Henry’s wives had returned to life, Katherine so far, had not. The others assured her that it was sometime between queens, Anne and Catherine were by themselves for nearly three months before Jane and herself appeared, but regardless. Anna did not want to get her heart broken again.

A massive clap of thunder was swiftly followed by bright lightning streaking across the dark sky. 

“God’s bowling.” Anne commented and earned herself a dirty look from Catherine. Though she was getting better, Catherine found her old nunnery habits hard to break and took offense anytime anyone used the Lord’s name for anything non-religious. 

The next booming of thunder was accompanied by a sharp crying and screaming from upstairs. 

The four looked at one another before dashing upstairs. Anna and Catherine took the bedroom next to Anne’s while Jane and Anne peeked in the one at the end of the hall. 

When light from the hallway poured into the room from the open door, there was another muffled whimper and cry. 

“Hello?” Catherine asked, pushing the door open more. She scanned the room before her gaze landed on a woman with dark hair, hunched in a ball on the floor at the end of the bed. 

“Liebling!” Anna pushed past Catherine to kneel in front of the stranger. At the German term, the woman lifted her head to reveal, much to Catherine’s horror, a girl. A teenager, she corrected herself, edging closer to the two. “Anna?” Anna barked out a half-laugh, half-strangled sob, and pulled Katherine Howard into her arms. 

  
  



End file.
